The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-10
Dir. Mansfield Explains the Schedule of
Prices To Be Charged Consumers.
The Difference in Cost Between Gas and Coal
for Heating Purposes-What the Mixers
Ara and How They Are Applied.
Seventy-Fve Thousand People Witness
Yesterdays Events at Findlay, 0.
Corner-Stones of Five Additional Factories
Laid-Prze Drill by Knights Of Pythias
Banquet and Speeches at Night.


THE COST OF NATURAL GAS.
Explanation of the Schedule of Rates In
Household Consumption.
As simple as tho mixer upon which the
Standard Oil Company bases it's monthly and
contract prices for natural gas, there are few
who understand it. There three sizes for
general use, numbered according to the diameter
of aperture through which the gas passes into
the hollow brass bali In the smallest size the
the diameter is three-thirty- y-seconds Of an inch.
in the next thirty seconds and in the third
five-thirty- seconds. Larger mixers are used.
but these three meet the general demand. IL
person wants gas sufficient only to heat bed
rooms, libraries and small sitting rooms, the
three thirty seconds diameter is used. This 10
known as No. 3. For larger rooms. and
where the greater heat is wanted. No. 8, or the
diameter OF four-thirty.seconds will be neces-
sary. Larger fires will require the No. mixer,
or that of five-thirty- seconds diameter. On the
lower arc of the ball perforatious which
admit air into the chamber, where it unites with
gas. 1t is this combination that is carried
through a larger diameter into the pipe leading
to the burner.
The mixer is not a meter, but it regulates the
capacity Of the burners. and hence the monthly
or contract charge is made according to the
quantity of gas that pours through the mixes
the consumer may require If he thinks he can
get along with the No size for all purposes the
cost would be proportionately less than If he had
the No. Z. Again, it is asserted By the Standard
Oil representatives that the fact that gas re-
quires no work. as in kindling fires, carrying
Goals and replenishng stoves. the saving is
material in the course of year The burners
and mixers can be SO adjusted as to make gas do
twice the work OF stove; therefore, it does not
follow that because one uses two. three or more
stoves or CRATES in heating his house he 10 COM
PEELED to have equal number Of mixers. There
viii be saving in this way which does not at irst
appear in an analysis of the prices based upon
the mixers People, in calculating the cost OF
gas according to the Standard OH schedule.
have assumed that they must use as many mix
ers as they now have stoves.
In figuring on the cost Of gas the process ID
simple, and the more satisfactory conclusions.
Mr. Mansfield, Of the Standard company,
thinks, can be reached by the comparative cost
of coal and gas in individual instances.
"a gentleman asked me to calculate the cost
of gas on what he would require" said he. In
his house cook stove and three base burners
are used. Admit that he will need q mixer to
take the place of each stove. The No. for she
kitchen will cost $3.50 per year. two Of the
same size for dining room and parlor, while the
third baseburner in q bedroom can be re-
cost s2l, the next $IS, and the No. mixer 50.
With the cost of the cooking stove mixer his gas
bill for the year would be only $67. 90. He pays
for coal to get imperfect and variable heat
over 300. He told me that was what coal cost
him this year. With gas he has a uniform tenn
pera.ure. fuel that Is clean and causes no
trouble Whatever. 1t is always there, burning
every hour in the day, with danger OF the
fire going out and leaving the house cold. At
o'clock IN the .hs .n1
time during the day and evening.
But take another instance. householder told
me that be paid 1860 per year for coal. he sup
piled q furnace cook stove, laundry and three
CRATES. Now. as to the cost of gas he would re-
Quire to secure = better. more even and oontin-
uons heat For his twenty-four inch fire pot in
the furnace B mixer would be necessary; for
this he would pay $40 80. while gas for his cook
ing stove would cost $19 30, for his laundry
$I05 so and for the three CRATES $3l 90. He OBJ
tains his crate fires at one half the rates. if he
used them alone But he has a furnace whicn
would diminish the supply he would otherwise
this case would be $92 30, against $3.50 for coal.
Take house of seven rooms, where cook
stove, two base burners with drums for heating
the upper rooms. are used. know OF one. and
the gentleman occupying it said it cost him $SO
this last winter to keep the house warm. AT
times the base burners would either put ont
diminished heat or become cold. Gas would
cost him for the entire year only $5S o. assums
ing that he would need q mixer TO take the place
of each stove But it is probable he can arrange
the heat to have 1t supplied from only two
mixers"
"The more one has to expend for coal the
greater will be his saving in the use OF gas
Yes gentleman told me the coal for his
residence cost the past winter $780, On out
basis of charges the same heat can be supplied
with gas for about 5000.
But what saving can be made by those who
have but three rooms, and. perhaps. but one
fret"
"They belong to the laboring class. and one
fire. sufficient to heat three rooms, would cost
only $19 80. They would have it all the time.
night and day"
"Yet there will be an additional cost in having
the pipes put in the house. Will tho landlords
of small tenements be willing to bear that ex-
penseF'
THAT will take care of itself. In Pittsbura
and other cities where gas is used owners OF
small houses find that they can be rented more
readily with natural gas service than without
If the landlords here not inclined to do IT.
good tenants who remain two three years will
have no difficulty in getting the company to as.
sist them in having the pipes put into the houses.
1t is the purpose to give the poor as we'll as ths
middle class and the rich the benefit of natural
gas Piping houses will cost from $40 upward.
Our company can do it, but it never does.
the company We enter into no competition
with plumbers. A can make his service az
costly as he desires. But let me detail one
more instance of the advantage price aonS
gas has over coal. know of gentleman whose
coal bill is 5000 for the winter months alone. II
costs him that much to supply a furnace, cook
stove and four open fires For gas the furnace
mixer will cost him SAG so. and In two of his
open fires he can use No mixers. His yearly
cost for gas would be $99 30 "srhese charges are
based upon the prices the Standard Oil Company
is willing to abide by in the ordinance that may
be passed.